Safety Cord Connector Splitting Mechanism for Window Blinds
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional window blind cord connectors pose a safety risk as they can form loops that may entangle and accidentally hang around toddlers or young children, leading to potential neck entrapment.
Innovation Solution
A safety cord connector comprising two half shells that split under excessive force, releasing the coupling between them to prevent entanglement, featuring a first half shell with a cord hole, coupling portion, and positioning notch, and a second half shell with a cord hole, coupling portion, and positioning protrusion that detaches from the notch when an external force is applied, allowing the shells to separate and break the loop.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the lift cords are fixed to the cord connector to collect and arrange the cords, then the cord management is improved, but the safety risk increases due to loop formation that can entangle children
Solution Approach 1:
The cord connector is divided into a first half shell and a second half shell that can separate from each other. When excessive force is applied (such as a child's neck entanglement), the positioning protrusion separates from the positioning notch, causing the two half shells to detach and break the loop, thereby eliminating the entanglement hazard while maintaining cord management functionality during normal use
Solution Approach 2:
The connector transitions from a static fixed connection to a dynamic conditional connection. The positioning protrusion and notch provide stable engagement under normal conditions, but automatically disengage when excessive force is applied, allowing the connector to adapt its state based on the applied load and eliminate the hazard when needed
2Stability of the object's composition
If a conventional cord connector is used to connect lift cords, then the cords are collected and arranged, but the connector forms a loop that can accidentally hang around a toddler's neck
Solution Approach 1:
The single unified connector is segmented into two separable half shells. The positioning protrusion on one half shell engages with the positioning notch on the other half shell to maintain structural stability during normal use, but can separate when excessive force is applied, breaking the loop and eliminating the entanglement hazard
Solution Approach 2:
The potential harmful loop formation is converted into a safety mechanism. The very loop structure that could entangle a child's neck becomes the pathway for safety release - when excessive force is detected, the loop breaks through the separation of half shells, transforming the hazard into a protective feature that prevents entanglement
Data Source
AI summary
A safety cord connector for a window blind includes a first half shell and a second half shell combined with the first half shell in such a way that a positioning protrusion extending from an inner surface of the second half shell is inserted into a positioning notch formed on an inner surface of the first half shell so as hold the first and second half shells together. When an external force exceeding the engaging force between the positioning protrusion and the positioning notch exerts between the first and second half shells, the positioning protrusion will separate away from the positioning notch to enable the combined first and second half shells to be split from each other so as to enhance safety in use.